Prayer and Fasting

I believe that God really does answer prayer, and so I have found myself praying more for certain things (mainly the arrival of our third flatmate and that my close friends like Ger would get into a relationship with Jesus). In the Bible fasting is quite common. The idea behind fasting is that we give something up in order to spend the time with God in prayer. It is usually food, and so we skip a few meals and gain a lot of time in our day where we can spend time with God. The hunger itself reminds us of the reason for our fast. The most famous fast is at lent where we traditionally give something up for 40 days (i.e. chocolate) as Jesus did when he went into the wilderness to pray without food (Mark 1:12-12; Luke 4:1-2). Isaiah 58:3-9 says that in order to really fast we should be doing it with respect for God and people suffering. A practical application might then be to give what you would have spent on food to charity.

On a positive note my new flatmate from Nigeria has got his VISA. Last year he couldn't come because the VISA never came through, but this year he will be here. I remember the pure joy when we were told that he was arriving, joy that God listens to prayers from everyone who did, and that all the work the staff at KTC and he did at getting him here had bared fruit this year. I trust that there is a reason why he came this year, and couldn't the year before, and look forwards to learning from him. I can also imagine the joy that will be in my heart when one of my friends comes to know God, like the Joy of the woman when she found her lost coin (Luke 15:8-10).

               Isaiah 58:3-9
³ ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say,
   ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves,    and you have not noticed?’   “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please
   and exploit all your workers.
⁴ Your fasting ends in quarrelling and strife,
   and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
   and expect your voice to be heard on high.
⁵ Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
   only a day for people to humble themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed
   and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
   a day acceptable to the LORD? 

 ⁶ “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
   and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
   and break every yoke?
⁷ Is it not to share your food with the hungry
   and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
   and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
⁸ Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
   and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
   and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
⁹ Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
   you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

Update:

Since starting this blog I became a Counsellor. You can read more on blog on subjects like Therapy at:

 www.simonslistening.co.uk